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Prayer protesters' home defaced

BRADENTON - Vandals splattered red paint on the home of a Jewish family that has sued the Manatee County School Board over the issue of prayer at board meetings.

Steven Rosenauer, who sued in federal court Feb. 2 to stop the board from starting meetings with prayer, told the Manatee Sheriff's Office the vandalism occurred Friday.

An incident report said three buckets of red paint were thrown at the Rosenauers' truck, garage door and front door. Sheriff's Office spokesman Dave Bristow said a detective has been assigned to the case, which could be prosecuted as a hate crime if a suspect is identified.

The Rosenauers sued the School Board after asking it to stop opening meetings with the Lord's Prayer, a Christian prayer. School officials agreed to substitute a nondenominational prayer, but the Rosenauers contend there have been repeated Christian references in those prayers.

PANAMA CITY BEACH - The Miracle Strip Amusement Park, a fixture for 41 years in this Florida Panhandle resort city, will close on Labor Day.

Owner Billy Lark sold the park and surrounding land to developers, general manager Buddy Wilkes said Tuesday.

Lark's decision came after several unprofitable summers. The 8-acre park, valued at $1.4-million by the Bay County appraiser, is part of 20 acres that sold for an undisclosed price. Neither the new owners nor what they plan to do with the property were disclosed.

SARASOTA - High levels of fecal pollution prompted officials to warn swimmers to stay out of the water at the popular public beach on Siesta Key.

The advisory was issued after tests found bacteria levels exceeded Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for fecal coliform and enterococcus, which can contribute to diseases, infections and rashes.

The most likely culprit is stormwater runoff, said Rob Bolesta, a county engineer. There were heavy rains during the testing.

The advisory could be lifted as early as Friday if new tests come back clean.

NORTH BAY VILLAGE - The mayor and a commissioner of this small island city north of Miami are accused of disregarding the state's open government laws after allegedly plotting to have the city manager fired.

Mayor Alan Dorne and Commissioner Armand Abecassis surrendered to state investigators Tuesday on charges that they violated the state's Government in the Sunshine Law, a second-degree misdemeanor.

They also face possible suspension from office by Gov. Jeb Bush.

Both have unlisted home numbers and did not return phone messages left at their offices Wednesday.

Authorities say Dorne and Abecassis met privately March 16 to discuss firing City Manager James Vardalis.